


soul colours

by SherlockianGirl14, the_fluffy_unicorn



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Colours, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sabriel - Freeform, Wings, but you will like it, like so much pain for such a smol fic, we promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-03-20
Packaged: 2018-05-28 01:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6307756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockianGirl14/pseuds/SherlockianGirl14, https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_fluffy_unicorn/pseuds/the_fluffy_unicorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel tells Sam about his family, something that Sam never expected to hear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	soul colours

**Author's Note:**

> art by [SherlockianGirl14](http://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockianGirl14/pseuds/SherlockianGirl14)  
> text by [the_fluffy_unicorn](http://archiveofourown.org/users/the_fluffy_unicorn) and [SherlockianGirl14](http://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockianGirl14/pseuds/SherlockianGirl14)

“Michael had stars in his wings,” Gabriel said.

It was a bit out of the blue: they’d been watching a documentary - something about bird migration patterns - and Gabriel got bored after about ten seconds, nagging at Sam to change the channel because he was absolutely sure there were bound to be Dr. Sexy reruns  _ somewhere _ . Sam arguing that the information in the documentary could help with research someday didn’t have any effect: Gabriel pointed a finger at himself with a flat  _ ‘Archangel. I  _ **_am_ ** _ your research’ _ and switched the TV to the horrible soap in question with a snap.

Sam tried all he could to convince Gabriel to change it back and after a lot of bickering he was in charge of the remote during commercial breaks. The first few of those didn’t have any success with Gabriel, and he promptly switched the channel back the second the commercials were over.

But then he came across some program showing the most recent NASA photographs. There was always something enthralling about space for Sam, so he didn’t even realize that the TV had stayed on the program far too long for a commercial break until Gabriel spoke.

“The specks of constellations and the swirls of galaxies, trembling, beautiful, ever so bright.”

Gabriel sounded wistful, eyes closed, head resting against Sam's chest.

“I could watch them for hours. Used to drive him insane, trailing after him whenever he went.”

A ghost of a smile flashed across his face. His tone remained calm and distant, but Sam could feel the strain hidden deep underneath. He combed his fingers through Gabriel's hair and hummed in response, prompting him to continue.

“Raphael’s were amazing, too. He was teaching me about healing, and got all huffy and frustrated every time he had to repeat himself yet again because I got distracted by watching aurora borealis in his wings.”

Gabriel fell silent. The pause lasted too long, but he didn’t move, and Sam continued running fingers through his hair, hoping to ease at least some of the tension.

“And then there was Lucifer.”

When Gabriel finally spoke up his voice was barely a whisper.

“Watching his wings was like watching a new day dawn. Always changing. Never the same colour. The most beautiful wings I’ve ever seen.”

Tears were streaming down Gabriel's face, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“It was already there then, long time before he fell. Rare at first, just brief glimpses at times when he was a fraction of a second late to rein in his temper. Bright red and hot, like a flame – an idea of a flame. It was beautiful, too.”

Gabriel choked out a sob, and Sam wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close, holding him as he was falling apart.

“I miss them,” Gabriel said.

“I miss my family.”

 

.  .  .  .  .

 

It was several days later when Sam got up the guts to ask the question that had been gnawing away at him since Gabriel had opened up his heart about his brothers.

“What about yours?” 

They were lying there on the couch and Sam was in a terrible mood. For once, Gabriel had silently handed over the remote, holding Sam close to him, rubbing his back lovingly, like you would a sickly child.

Sam had chosen a nature documentary about deserts and their inhabitants. Gabriel had groaned when he’d selected it, but there had been no whines of boredom.

“What about my what?” Gabriel asked, but they both knew what Sam had meant.

“Y’know. You told me all about your family’s wings, but nothing about your own.

“Like that, mostly,” Gabriel gestured to the screen.

“Like what?”

“Well, the desert sand and sun mixed into one. But all of it, really. My wings, they’re not like my brothers’. I’ve lived with you, I’ve walked amongst you. I guess I'm more human than any of the others. My wings’ve become almost like my version of a human soul. They change through sadness, through good times. They are still mostly golden, but they gain colours. I guess they’re kind of like a watercolour.”

“They sound way better than the stars.”

“Hey, you love the stars! Which, by the way, is really kind of cheating on me. Y’know, since that’s Michael’s role. So, rude.”

“Oh, shut up,” Sam grumbled. “I love the stars -  _ not  _ Michael, just the stars for themselves and what they are - but I love you more.”

“You do, huh?”

“Of course I do.”

“Y’know, I haven’t known myself to ever change as much as I have since I met you. I have more pinks and true yellows than ever before - that’s love and happiness. I’ve got more intense blues, too, but not because you’ve hurt me. Because I care more than an archangel was ever meant to. I feel your sadness as well as my own. But I like that. Sam, you’ve painted them gloriously.”

“I like that thought,” Sam smiled, resting his head back onto Gabriel’s chest. “But like that they shine bright underneath it all, too. That’s you. That’s before all of this happened to you, that is who you are.”

“Thank you,” Gabriel mumbled quietly into Sam’s hair.

Unbeknownst to Sam, a few more of Gabriel’s feathers painted themselves a warm pink.


End file.
